Dual Views of Life's Origin

 When we address the topic of Origin of Life, readers most often assume we are speaking about the deep history of life on this planet. Historically, how did life begin? And when did life begin? Did life on Earth originate by naturalistic evolution? Or did life on this planet appear as an act of fiat creation as described in divine Scripture?

Several of our recent posts have discussed naturalistic evolution in contrast to divine creation. These two concepts are diametrically opposite. Some of the most enlivening discussions have occurred among science educators who locate themselves on opposite sides of this question. Curricular materials for students are selected according to the publishers’ and educators’ orientation—evolutionist? or creationist?

The current sharp political divide concerning another question, the question of abortion—its legality, ethicality, morality, and acceptance—is not presented or argued on the same evolutionary terms. Life’s origin, however, is an interconnected issue. For example, the question is framed to enhance the emotional impact of issues such as a woman’s bodily freedom, reproductive rights, privacy rights, and freedom to choose. These concepts are somewhat nebulous but always framed in the most positive terms by advocates of legal abortion. Advocates of abortion work to end life in the womb. The abortion issue is one of the tragedies of our day.

We reproduce nine past posts re-submitted while the  Supreme Court was reconsidering the 1973 Roe vs Wade decision in 2022. When life appeared during Planet Earth’s deep history, we were not privy to the precise methods God used to create life. In the 21st century, however, we are gifted by detailed knowledge of the discipline of developmental biology. What is the mission of developmental biologists? They discover the cellular, molecular, and genetic mechanisms controlling embryonic development. Following are links to several 2014 posts:  

EMERGENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS: The development of a mature human consciousness is only one of the miracles of human development in the first year of life from conception to infancy.  

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/emergence-of-consciousness.html

CONCEPTION TO CONSCIOUSNESS: Denial that the developing entity within the womb is fully human and deserves protection from the moment of conception to the moment of birth and beyond has become a paramount collective sin staining our nation.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/conception-to-consciousness.html

BODY BUILDING BLUEPRINT: Knowledge of the fundamental component of living things—the cell—has exploded. This includes knowledge of genetics and the fundamental secrets of heredity possessed by the incredible DNA molecule.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/body-building-blueprint.html

PRENATAL SCIENCE AND THEOLOGY: The union of a male sperm and female ovum is classic modern knowledge. This union forms the human zygote, a single diploid cell containing two sets of chromosomes—one set from each parent.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/prenatal-science-and-theology.html

LET THE BUILDING BEGIN: The 8-9 day period following conception precedes implantation of the embryo into the mother’s uterine wall. These are important days of preparation for the actual body building project to follow…..The mother is host to the embryo during the 8-9 days prior to implantation.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/let-building-begin.html

EMBRYO TO FETUS: In humans, the child is termed an embryo up until eight weeks. The event sequence of the first few weeks of pregnancy is fascinating almost beyond imagination. The mysteries of embryology still puzzle scientists.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/01/embryo-to-fetus.html

 

PLOTTING PRENATAL PROGRESS: The astonishing beginning and subsequent development of the human embryo and its transition to the category of fetus at roughly eight weeks is known to medical scientists in stunning detail.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/02/plotting-prenatal-progress.html

IMAGERIES OF BUILDING: Quality building materials must be selected. Construction materials must be utilized at the proper time and place and in the appropriate manner…..Applying this imagery to human reproduction, the foundation of an embryo, its transition to a fetus and finally, the arrival of the birth of a child are events which are coordinated precisely by the Creator.

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/02/imageries-of-building.html

MYSTERY OF REPRODUCTION: A Highlight of the Genesis account is the creation of man…..In Chapter One, the initial mention of the vast array of the creation of life forms concludes with, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.”

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2014/02/mystery-of-reproduction.html 

The Book of Psalms contains a familiar devotional passage we may characterize as the “developmental biology passage.” It is found in Psalm 139.

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance…” (Psalm 139:13-16a ESV)    

Origin of Life

The characteristics of life are well known to bioscientists. The topic of the origin of life is often posed in connection with the wonder of life’s characteristics. How did these wonders originate? The question is answered in one of two ways: (1) life evolved, or (2) life was divinely created.

Following are the frequently publicized characteristics of living things.  (1) Organized into cells  (2) Capable of metabolism  (3) Responsive to stimuli  (4) Possess homeostasis  (5) Able to grow and develop  (6) Able to reproduce, and  (7) Able to adapt. This list highlights a set of characteristics impossible to explain except as a result of the creative action of God described in the Book of Genesis, chapters 1-2.

Some science journalists include ability to evolve in their lists of characteristics of life. The authors of these lists should not include the controversial theory of evolution as a characteristic of living things.

The theory of organic evolution of Earth’s millions of different species is relentlessly promoted in the literature of science. A majority of professional scientists endorse the  theory of naturalistic evolution of life. They have developed a complex theory, especially since the publication of Charles Darwin’s epic The Evolution of Species in 1859. Darwin acknowledged that life’s origin presented a knotty problem for bioscientists of his day. He conceded that life probably originated by unknown natural causes. Scientific literature is replete with expressions of uncertainty or ignorance concerning the origin of life. Conservative theologians rely on the first few chapters of Holy Scripture to develop their concept of theo-history, an account proposing that the biblical Creator is the Author of life on this planet—an example of a transcendent miracle.

Genesis 1 gives a brief theo-history of the origin of life. The Earth was a formless void, “and darkness was over the face of the deep.” In just a few words, we are given minimal detail about the initial creation event which may have occurred suddenly. This was followed by a formless mass, later to become a water world swathed in darkness. Then God said “Let there be light,” and there was light (verse 3). Verses 6-8 may refer to the beginnings of a stable water cycle.

Modern scientists know that life soon appeared in the water world in the form of bacteria. One form of bacteria was cyanobacteria. We have discovered fossilized cyanobacteria in Australia. This form of bacteria needed light for its existence and its ability to produce oxygen. Note the reference to the fossil cyanobacteria discovery by paleobiologist J. William Schopf in this link:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2008/05/earths-sudden-life-enigma.html

A more recent post speaks of the role of water in our primordial Earth’s “Water World”:

https://jasscience.blogspot.com/2012/02/earth-water-world.html

The initial eight verses of the Bible briefly outlines millions of years of events on Planet Earth. During this interval plentiful cyanobacteria appeared in the water of our oceans. Cyanobacteria use light energy plus water to synthesize their own food. This process is known as oxygenetic photosynthesis. The oxygen first eliminated the poisonous methane atmosphere and ultimately supplied an atmosphere of life-giving oxygen in preparation for life forms which later populated the Earth. This is known as the “Great Oxygenation Event” which prepared Planet Earth for a profusion of advanced life known as the Cambrian Explosion beginning about 530 million years ago. Many phyla appeared on Earth with relative suddenness. Most of these phyla still exist today.

 

Today’s life on Earth would be impossible without the element oxygen—21% of Earth’s atmosphere. Even though most advanced life originated at the onset of the Cambrian explosion, we might say that life originated with ancient bacteria. How did ancient bacterial life begin? We propose bacterial life began in a transcendent, divine miracle.  

The Apostle Peter quoted Genesis 1 in II Peter 3: “For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished…but do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is one day” (II Peter 3 ESV). These verses in II Peter refer to the ancient water world from which sprang life-giving atmospheric oxygen which later resulted in the Cambrian Explosion of animal and plant life we still enjoy in our day. These verses also refer to our timeless Creator. His creative activity has extended back many eons in the past.

We believe that Genesis 1:2 provides an occasion for worship: “…the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.” This historic event is affirmed by inspired scripture as well as by scientific discoveries concerning the history of cyanobacteria. Holy Scripture and paleo history both speak about the origin of life!